My mom and dad will be on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean for Thanksgiving, so I'm thinking I'll just have a non-stop hors d'oeuvres extravaganza all day while we watch parades and football instead of the customary turkey and fixings. My kid will be home from college for a few days--yay!

My planned menu:Italian Sausage Stuffing ("no in the bird"; I also squirt on the bird's face)Brussels sprouts with bacon and mustard vinaigretteBaked sweet potatoes with way too much brown sugar and butter and also marshmallows just in case there wasn't enough sugar (wife's childhood fave)Green bean casserole (required, isn't it?)Oh yeah: a turkey (maybe)

Next morning we fry the stuffing in approximately 4 lbs of butter and serve with fried eggs (over easy, of course).

Bathia_Mapes:buckler: Bathia_Mapes: I'm excited about Thanksgiving. I get to try deep fried turkey for the first time.

It's really, really good. Trust me.

That's what I've been told.

If you're gonna have a hand in the preparation at all, don't skimp on the seasoning. A couple cups of a homemade cajun butter mixture injected literally everywhere you can find a place for it (on the turkey, that is) will not go amiss, and will be even better if you top it off by liberally dry rubbing with ... well, whatever sounds good to you. You don't need the store-bought mixes really. Last time I deep fried turkeys, we did a store-bought rub for one and I just threw a bunch of vaguely cajun-y spices together for the second and there turned out being very little difference in taste. I've never had brined turkey, which seems all the rage this year, so I can't compare. But I can tell you that the deep frying makes by far the best turkey I've ever had.

Here in Oakland the circle and I are too lazy/busy to cook this year so we're picking up Thanksgiving dinner from all the immigrant eateries that don't close on Thanksgiving. We're looking at pork buns, carnitas, barbacoa, pekin duck, and lots of pies.

Original plan was to hit the dim sum restaurant next to Trader Vic's then get wasted at said Trader Vic's. We may have selected the inferior option.

rufus1001:Bathia_Mapes: buckler: Bathia_Mapes: I'm excited about Thanksgiving. I get to try deep fried turkey for the first time.

It's really, really good. Trust me.

That's what I've been told.

If you're gonna have a hand in the preparation at all, don't skimp on the seasoning. A couple cups of a homemade cajun butter mixture injected literally everywhere you can find a place for it (on the turkey, that is) will not go amiss, and will be even better if you top it off by liberally dry rubbing with ... well, whatever sounds good to you. You don't need the store-bought mixes really. Last time I deep fried turkeys, we did a store-bought rub for one and I just threw a bunch of vaguely cajun-y spices together for the second and there turned out being very little difference in taste. I've never had brined turkey, which seems all the rage this year, so I can't compare. But I can tell you that the deep frying makes by far the best turkey I've ever had.

I won't be involved at all, except for the eating part. Our host (we're having Thanksgiving dinner at a friend's house) will be deep frying the turkey. This is his 6th Thanksgiving deep frying turkeys and he cooks them for Christmas too.

Phins:I need help. Some of my guests are vegetarian and my veggie stuffing has been a little boring the past few years. Suggestions?

And is there anything I can do to liven up tofurkey?

I say take some sriracha and mix it with cranberry to use as condiment. Sriracha will go on ANYTHING, lol! One of the farkers earlier suggested adding spices such as Thyme to the stuffing and I agree: Thyme is one of the best spices out there!

Purelilac:buckler: Purelilac: buckler: i gotta see if I can find a way to make a teeny Thanksgiving meal just for myself that still provides me the chance of leftovers. The best bit.

A package of turkey legs, a box of stove- top with add-ins, a baked sweet potato, a can of cranberry sauce, a small tube of popinfresh rolls. You could go nuts and throw a can of cream of mushroom soup into a can of green beans. Throw it all in the oven as needed and eat for days.

I have to say it was a serious comment, but that I never expected a serious response. I do prefer white meat, though.

Then ask the deli person at the grocery store to cut you off a 1 lb slab of the roasted turkey breast there. Since youre so farking picky all of a sudden, you can buy a jar of turkey gravy while youre at it.

Put the turkey in a large pot. Put everything on the turkey to taste, but it's going to be about one to two tablespoons of all the spices. Add water to cover the turkey. Let it sit for a couple of days.

To cook:

350 degrees. Cut the lemon in half and put it in the turkey. Add a new quartered onion and two new stalks of celery around the turkey. Add 1/4 cup of white wine. I like to add some of the brine water as well to help it stay moist. Cook the bird breast side down for 45 minutes. Then cook for 15 to 20 minutes a pound. The only problem with this method is that the bird doesn't get crispy brown, but the hot water helps to cook the little bit of fat off. If you want your bird to be brown, take it out of the brine for the last 45 minutes and kick the temp up to 450.

Gravy:

Cook the entrails in 2 tablespoons of butter until fully cooked.throw away the organs and add 1/4 cup of flourAdd the juices from the turkey slowly

I am very critical of anything that I cook, and I am so satisfied with how all of this has worked out that I have no interest in experimenting for the next few years at least.

buckler:Purelilac: buckler: i gotta see if I can find a way to make a teeny Thanksgiving meal just for myself that still provides me the chance of leftovers. The best bit.

A package of turkey legs, a box of stove- top with add-ins, a baked sweet potato, a can of cranberry sauce, a small tube of popinfresh rolls. You could go nuts and throw a can of cream of mushroom soup into a can of green beans. Throw it all in the oven as needed and eat for days.

I have to say it was a serious comment, but that I never expected a serious response. I do prefer white meat, though.

I'm going with a turkey roast (white and dark meat, but they have all-white too), gravy made from drippings and the packet that comes with the roast (pretty good), stuffing and mashed potatoes that I made previously and froze, brown-and-serve rolls (rare treat for me), the can-of-mushroom-soup-in-can-of-green-beans-with-bacon, and a pumpkin pie from the store with whipped cream for dessert.

1. Wash and core the apples, leaving the skin intact.2. Freeze the cranberries solid.3. In a food processor, add half frozen cranberries and half apples and turn to chop speed so that the pieces are about a 1/4" square.4. Chop the entire pound of apples/ cranberries and place in large mixing bowl and add sugar. Chop the peel-on whole navel oranges to the same consistency and mix into the apples/ cranberries/ sugar.5. Refrigerate and let set 1 hour before serving.

Two pounds of chicken wings can be substituted for the turkey wings. If using chicken wings, separate them into 2 sections (it's not necessary to separate the tips) and poke each segment 4 or 5 times. Also, increase the amount of broth to 3 cups, reduce the amount of butter to 2 tablespoons, and cook the stuffing for only 60 minutes (the wings should register over 175 degrees at the end of cooking). Use the meat from the cooked wings to make salad or soup.Ingredients

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 250 degrees. Spread bread cubes in even layer on 2 rimmed baking sheets. Bake until edges have dried but centers are slightly moist (cubes should yield to pressure), 45 to 60 minutes, stirring several times during baking. (Bread can be toasted up to 1 day in advance.) Transfer to large bowl and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.*

2. Use tip of paring knife to poke 10 to 15 holes in each wing segment. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add wings in single layer and cook until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip wings and continue to cook until golden brown on second side, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer wings to medium bowl and set aside.*

I want to get a fresh (rather than frozen) turkey this year. My instincts say the fresh will be not as fresh, as I would suspect the frozen ones are frozen right after they are killed. Any input in appreciated.

sandi_fish:I want to get a fresh (rather than frozen) turkey this year. My instincts say the fresh will be not as fresh, as I would suspect the frozen ones are frozen right after they are killed. Any input in appreciated.

There can be a difference in taste but it's not because they're frozen or fresh.It's because of what they have been eating. So if you get a fresh bird from a reputable place it will have a good flavor. I don't know what is like where you are but around here you have to order a fresh bird well in advance of the holiday and then pick it up when you need it. It's almost impossible to just walk in a get a fresh bird at this time of year.

My mother and I make the Thanksgiving meal for about 20 or so family members. We always make several dished that nobody else but us (and oddly, a 6-year-old niece) likes: Oyster dressing, Giblet gravy, Mincemeat pie and others. We eat like kings and everybody else gets basic turkey and green bean casserole. Hah!

We've been deep frying our Thanksgiving turkeys for 5 or 6 years now and started brining them after the first or second year we switched to frying. It truly makes all the difference in the world! They turn out way more moist and like other farkers have said do not be afraid of seasoning!

Core the pears from the bottom. Decrease the heat to medium low and place the pears into the liquid, cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the pears are tender but not falling apart. Maintain a gentle simmer. Remove the pears to a serving dish, standing them upright, and place in the refrigerator.

Remove the vanilla bean from the saucepan, increase the heat to high and reduce the syrup to approximately 1 cup of liquid, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Do not allow the syrup to turn brown. Place the syrup in a heatproof container and place in the refrigerator until cool, approximately 1 hour.

Remove the pears from the refrigerator, spoon the sauce over the pears and serve.

I don't core the pears, and generally sprinkle with cardamom, serve with creme anglaise or whipped cream, and gingersnaps.

bmfderek:Self Defecating Humor: I've been doing AB's brined turkey for a few years now, but I'm thinking of doing a smoked turkey this year. The gravy will be a bit of a challenge, but I think a few extra parts should be good for a stock.

Like I posted above, brine the bird, and smoke it also. Catch the drippings with an aluminum pan-the gravy is great.

I don't know about the brining. In all honesty, I've never brined a bird (never needed to). Never failed to have a juicy bird the way we smoke it.

Just never understood the compulsion to saturate meat with salt. But then, different strokes for different folks.

Being a college student with grad school applications to work on/seriously sadistic professors, I got to plead out of the annual trek to BFE Wyoming where the yearly "who's better at being passive-aggressive" competition takes place. While I'm going to be swamped with homework, at least I'm well out of the blast radius of my mom and her mom, who get along like wet cats in a sack, as well as my grandma's rat from hell Chihuaha. I'm having Thanksgiving with my partners, thegreenintern and Mrs. Intern, and I've volunteered to cook, too (though having been raised in a family where food = love and also competition, I feel like this is a shamefully sparse spread)

1. Turkey drumsticks (none of us like white meat, so fark it - we'll roast drumsticks in the oven)2. Stuffing with mushrooms and water chestnuts3. Pecan pie.4. Proper cranberry sauce (as in, can still see the can rings)5. Beer - nice, good beer.6. Pumpkin bread (the kind that has had several authors rejoice in ecstasy when I bring it to cons)

\I will miss the yearly fight over which cranberry sauce is best\\ Will not miss spending hours cooking/washing dishes while the men lounged

bmfderek:Self Defecating Humor: I've been doing AB's brined turkey for a few years now, but I'm thinking of doing a smoked turkey this year. The gravy will be a bit of a challenge, but I think a few extra parts should be good for a stock.

Like I posted above, brine the bird, and smoke it also. Catch the drippings with an aluminum pan-the gravy is great.

Last year was the first year I ever cooked a turkey. My MIL had to take a last minute trip so I did the AB recipe and everyone said it was the best they ever had. I did also started with a better bird than the usually butterball or store brand so that helped too. I ordered a pasture raised heritage this year. It's probably still walking around right now. Anyway I was thinking about smoking it but was concerned about it drying out, even with the brine. Any suggestions? My first thought was to start it in the 500 degree oven alla AB and moving it to the smoker.

Please people, start making fresh cranberry sauce. The difficulty level is about the same as boiling eggs. It's just water, sugar, and cranberries. You add the cranberries, water, and sugar to a pan, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat a little bit, and then let it cook for a few minutes until the cranberries start popping open. After it cools a bit I add a can of drained mandarin oranges and it's farking delicious. People think you know voodoo or some shiat if you make this. I have no idea why since it's the easiest part to make of the whole meal. I always make it the day before since it just improves the longer you let it sit together.

For anyone looking for a sweet potato dish with a spicy spin try out this recipe-

I have made it several times and it IS really excellent.

Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Orange & Honey By evelyn/athens

Cook Time:1 hrs 5 mins55 mins

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, more for the pan3 tablespoons honey1/4 cup orange juice1/4 teaspoon cayenne1/4 teaspoon cumin1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular is fine if you don't have smoked)4 medium sweet potatoes, preferably the same size and shape, peeled, halved crosswise, and quartered lengthwise (2 lb. total)kosher salt fresh ground black pepper Directions:1Heat the oven to 400°F Lightly butter a large Pyrex or ceramic baking dish that can hold the sweet potato wedges in one layer.2In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the honey, orange juice, and spices. Put the sweet potatoes in the buttered baking dish, add the honey mixture, and toss the pieces well to coat them thoroughly. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer; sprinkle with salt and pepper.3Roast until the potatoes are browned and tender and the juices are bubbly and thickened, 45 to 55 minutes. To ensure even roasting, stir and baste several times with the pan juices, doing so more frequently toward the end of roasting. Serve at once.

Put your fully peeled potatoes in a large stock pot, fill with water. Put a GENEROUS palm ful of salt in the water. Boil until finished. Melt your butter on a stove pan or in the microwave, whisk in cream. Pour cream mixture over drained potatoes, mash. Add your minced garlic, add pepper or more salt if desired.

I also roast an entire head of garlic in the oven while the turkey is cooking. Peel most of the "paper" off of the garlic, set it in the middle of a 10"X10" piece of foil, drizzle it with olive oil and roll the foil up into a ball, and then roast it for about 30-45 minutes. You'll know when it's done because the aroma of roasted garlic will start to permeate the entire house (yummy smell, not bad smell). Take it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes and then the roasted garlic will squeeze out of each clove very easily. I mash the roasted garlic into the mashed potatoes and it is wicked delicious.

WhoopAssWayne:Just remember atheist liberal scum, Thanksgiving is fundamentally a religious holiday. You are giving thanks to God - that's the point. Best for you pre-adults going through your atheist liberal stage to avoid it altogether.

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens," - wikipedia

Roast leg of lamb with rosemary and garlicBBQ King prawns with chili sauce

Mashed potato with butter, milk salt and pepperSteamed green beans with a sprinkle of salt and pepperMashed sweet potato with salt and farking pepper ( no farking sugar it's not bloody dessert yet )Cranberry sauce made in a bloody saucepan not from a can, and still tart not sweet!Gravy made in the dishGreen garden salad with lettuce, rocket, tomatoes, capsicum and onionMantova bread rolls ( little rolls with a twist )